Lauren Walker



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Selected Works
     01   Residual Lines
    02  Heat Mapping Entropy
    03  Synthetic Entomology
    04  The Room Holds Its Breath
    05  3D Prototyping + Design


Installation



Synthetic Entomology (2025)
this is (not) a networking event,
ACHTUNG, Summaery 2025, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar




Synthetic Entomology (2025)

Hardware: Acrylic panels, solar cells (2–5 V), magnetic pogo pins; Solarsoundmodule cicadas (×5) with Schmitt-trigger inverter, capacitors, resistors, piezo buzzer; vibration “buzz” cicadas (×3) with mini motors and LEDs

Dimensions: 76 x 18 x 22 cm (adjustable)

Photo: Darko, July 2025
Synthetic Entomology is a solar-powered installation that presents a reactive ecosystem of cicada-inspired electronic organisms mounted on an acrylic cypress tree. Drawing on insect metaphors in technology, the work explores the blurred boundary between the natural and the mechanical, framing electronic circuits as living systems that respond to light and environmental change. Its modular structure allows the ecosystem to shift and reconfigure within an exhibition space, emphasizing adaptation as a shared property of biological and technological systems.

The installation features two types of artificial cicadas: solar sound modules that generate rhythmic cicada-like calls, and vibration-based "buzz" cicadas. Users can place their hands over the solar panels to dampen or modulate the sound, mimicking the natural cycles of light and shadow. The modular design of the system allows different cicada PCBs to be swapped in and out, each producing a unique sound based on various combinations of capacitor and resistor values, while operating within different voltage ranges. Through these interactions, Synthetic Entomology encourages reflection on how synthetic systems emulate, distort, and ultimately reshape our understanding of natural ecosystems.





Installation configuration of Synthetic Entomology under low-UV conditions.
Alternative installation configuration of Synthetic Entomology during high-UV hours.




© Lauren Walker,  2026